Thompson Facing Six-Week Lay-Off

St Helens have been hit by the loss of Luke Thompson for six weeks because of an ankle injury suffered against Hull FC last.

Thompson The England international prop was ruled out of Sunday’s 50-14 thrashing of Catalans Dragons at the Totally Wicked Stadium and coach Justin Holbrook confirmed that he will be absent until the middle of June.

It is the latest injury issue to blight the Saints as Mark Percival and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook are facing similar amounts of time on the sidelines.

However, Tommy Makinson is fit to return to training next week after he missed the Dragons win on Sunday because of a back spasm.

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Meanwhile, the Saints kept their four-point lead at the top of the Super League table thanks to a crushing win against Catalans.

Fiji international centre Brayden Wiliame gave the visitors an early lead, but a hat-trick of tries from centre Matty Costello and further efforts from Adam Swift, Zeb Taia, Aaron Smith, Theo Fages, Dom Peyroux and Jack Welsby sealed an emphatic win.